Orlando Magic Daily Mailbag Volume 4: Coaching questions
A pair of Nikola Vucevic questions here…
The short answer is yes, you can always improve. The long answer is no it probably would not be necessary.
Vucevic is a pretty accomplished post player already. He has shown an array of post moves already and has good foot work. His jumper keeps opponents honest when he faces up and he is good at getting his shot in the post. Vucevic could maybe expand his post game and counters. And there a guy like Hakeem would help.
Diving a bit deeper into the numbers, maybe the issue is a little more complicated.
According to NBA.com, Vucevic scores 0.86 points per possession on post ups, shooting 45.7 percent from the post. He obviously does not have a crazy athleticism to work in the post but he has to the footwork and patience to free himself up. Him getting into the paint is also part of him gaining strength. He tends to fade late in games and sometimes favors his jumper later in games rather than continuing to attack.
The Magic score on 43.8 percent of Vucevic’s post ups. You would like to see that number go up if Vucevic is going to be a central figure in the offense.
A lot of this you feel Vucevic will improve upon as he gets older and understands his weaknesses in the post.
Workout with Hakeem Olajuwon would be nice. It can only help. It is not as necessary as it would have been for Dwight Howard. It will be itneresting to see how Vucevic continues to develop as a post player.
But . . .
Yes. You take Jahlil Okafor.
The Magic are still in something of an asset-collection mode. Orlando does not have any player that you can definitively say is a superstar or All Star player. Nikola Vucevic has had a crazy good year and he is probably near his ceiling as a borderline All Star in the depleted Eastern Conference.
As good as Vucevic is in the post, Okafor has the potential to be better. NBADraft.net compares him to Al Jefferson, and it is hard not to see it. He has an advanced post game and understands what to do with deep post position. It is rare to see a freshman this advanced. He could be a really interesting and potent talent.
You can put a rebounder or shot protector next to a player like Okafor and figure things out from there. Unlike Vucevic, Okafor does have the athleticism to be a great defender. He just has to apply himself at that end.
Talent wins over all. Vucevic is on such a friendly contract extension, that he will be valuable in the trade market. Okafor would easily make Vucevic very expendable.
Next: Would Paul Millsap make a good free agent target?